Numerical experiments in modeling diffraction phenomena with Monte Carlo ray tracing

Edward R. Freniere

doi:10.1117/12.681797

6 September 2006 Numerical experiments in modeling diffraction phenomena with Monte Carlo ray tracing

Edward R. Freniere

Proceedings Volume 6289, Novel Optical Systems Design and Optimization IX; 62890N (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.681797
Event: SPIE Optics + Photonics, 2006, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Monte Carlo ray tracing programs routinely simulate the phenomena of reflection, refraction, and scattering by redirecting rays when they intersect a surface. We desire to simulate the diffraction of light by apertures, a wave phenomenon, by a method that melds easily into ray tracing algorithms. The proposed method redirects rays in random directions according to a Gaussian probability distribution. The width of this distribution varies inversely with distance of the ray intersection point from the edge of the aperture, and is derived from the Heisenberg uncertainty relation. Previous results have shown good agreement of incoherent summing of rays traced as compared with results obtained by integral methods. Here we present the coherent summation of rays, showing results that substantially agree with those obtained by integral methods including the fringes that result from interference of coherent light.

Citation Download Citation

Edward R. Freniere "Numerical experiments in modeling diffraction phenomena with Monte Carlo ray tracing", Proc. SPIE 6289, Novel Optical Systems Design and Optimization IX, 62890N (6 September 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.681797

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